The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-03-10


plosive reports Of his own tremendous
whip; but now, to her establishment,
seven or eight well mounted teamsters
suddenly closed up around him, and the
squad so formed dashed straight out, as II
to meet four times their number Of the
charging Kiowas.
"They will all be killed. Father, look
at themr' she cried.
But they were not, for at that instant
they all refined in, as il with one hand, and
crash of rifles and an angry yell from the
red men told how thoroughly tho latter
had learned that part of the wagon boys
tIesson," while John and his followers
came back as fast as they had gone out.
That could not be the end of it, however,
and before long, from the comparatively
safe and central spot where John Law
renee had stationed her and her father,
the little grove and the prairie around it
seemed to Mary Dennison one confused
hurly burly, sort Of plains Kaleidoscope
of yelling, bow twanging Kiowas, powder
blackened teamsters, wounded and falling
men, on both sides, mules, arrow stung,
screaming and kicking, and all the other
sights and sounds of such life and death
struggle. And through it oil there was
one voice that sounded steady and calm,
presence that was at every place as soon
self repeating: "Only a wagon boy"
But her father added:
81 may have had my misfortunes, Mary,
but if Mr.. Lawrence would listen to me a
moment, think could tell him"-
"Ten him what, fatheri''
''That he made great mistake in being
born a wagon boy, my dear; he was cut
out for general That's all.
And yet John Lawrence did find time
to think Half his men were killed or
wounded, and so were ut least half Of his
own mules, and he himself had been SO
barked and stung with Kiowa arrows that
his mining claims and other evidences of
business capacity seemed to have lost their
value.
Another charge like the last, and
they'll sweep right over US, he exclaimed.
81 wonder If that feather Drained ieuten-
ant ever means to come back. May be
they've gathered his hair for him already.
Stand fast there, menp'-his voice was
like a trumpet now. sGive it to them!
If we break we're gone. They mustn't get
inside the ring"
It had been one last, sweeping rush for
coveted scalps and bitterly longed for ven
geance, and it had come and gone like q
whirlwind, and right in on its track had
sounded the bugles and clattered the
sabers Of not Lieut. Strong's nero squad,
but of two full companies of dashing blue
coated veterans, with Col. Moulton him.
self at their head, the terror of all wild
red men. The lieutenant was, indeed,
among them, with what the Kiowas had
left of the escort, " for he, too, had had his
L.. 20 40 hcl =
teaching" had gone hard with him.
Lieut.. Strong,'' said the grim old
colonel, did you not tell me you left the
train on the roady'
II did, sir, and ordered it to keep right
on till rejoined it, replied the still self
confident young officer.
"You did, indeed! All, then, it's no
fault of yours that it wasn't gobbled up.
Did all you could, should say But who
was left in commando Who handled the
transfers in this fghts Who planned
this corral2'
John Lawrence, sir" here put in old
Mr.. Dennison, land the way he did it,
sir, would have done you good to see. I
may have had my misfortunes, but f
you'll only send u surgeon TO look after
himl He's only wagon boy, colonel, but
we all owe him whatever hair time and
trouble has left u.s.
'sWounded is he? John lawrence
Why, he's an old friend of mine. Been
over with him twice. He's a gentleman.
Where is he!''
Right over here by our wagon, sir,
where lie made his last stand. There's
four deal kiowas close by, and I'm proud
to say killed one, replied the old gen.
tleman, with al extra whccze. II may
have had my misfortunes, but I pulled
straight on the redskin that had that
wagon boy down. That WAS the end of
tue fight, sir"
1t was more than that, for many a loug
days nursing was required before John
Lawrence could sit on his mustang again,
aud long before his strength came back lie
had determined TO give up wagoning
Sick of IL?
No, but Mary Dennison could never
have kept him company Oh endless trips
across the plains, while ranch life would
lie good enough for him If she would join
him, as she agreed to do. Even her
father remarked:
Mary, I may have had my misfor-
tunes, but don't feel as il could count
your wagon boy for one of them. Hart
ford Times.